Jonathan Balzan and Josann Attard Pulis consolidated their leads at the top of the 2014 Nestle Malta Challenge Marathon provisional standings after winning the second legs of the international three-stage race, yesterday.

Balzan won the shortest leg of the marathon, a six-kilometre run in Birżebbuġa, in 20 minutes, 24 seconds for an accumulated time of 59:19.

He will be starting today’s final 25km race, from St Paul’s Bay to Valletta, with an 85-second lead over Brian Magri who was second in St George’s Bay in 21:05, ahead of Gozo’s Stefan Azzopardi (21.52 – 1:03.51 overall).

Attard Pulis covered the distance in Birżebbuġa in 25:53 with Starmax AC team-mate Caroline Ciappara breasting the tape at 26:03.

Pulis leads the women’s marathon in 1:14.27. Ciappara is her nearest pursuer with 1:16.46 and England’s Rachael Woolston lies third with a time of 1:18.46 after the first two stages.

Over 100 runners are taking part in the Challenge Marathon with another group of 60 registered in the Gatorade Team Challenge Relay, an event introduced for the first time this year by race founder and organiser Barry Whitmore.

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